Information processing system, device, and information processing method

• US 9,164,747 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ono, Zentaroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Ben C
• Application Number:
  US14/023,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

A system, where a device and at least one information processing apparatus are connected via a network to each other, includes a configuration unit that, when receiving a request to use a service together with a device identifier of the device, stores configuration information in a relationship information storage, wherein the configuration information associates the device identifier with at least one program identifier that is stored in a service information storage in association with the service; and a transmitting unit that sends an installation request to install a program corresponding to the program identifier to the device corresponding to the device identifier that is associated by the configuration information with the program identifier.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computer connected via a network to one or more devices and a terminal, the method comprising:

allowing the terminal to select a service to be used;

identifying a program necessary to use the selected service;

querying the terminal whether to allow installation of the identified program in a device that uses the selected service and is to be selected from the devices;

requesting the terminal to select the device that uses the selected service from the devices;

when receiving a service identifier of the selected service and a device identifier of the selected device, storing configuration information in a relationship information storage, wherein the configuration information associates the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and a program identifier of the program with each other, and the program identifier is stored in a service information storage in association with the service identifier; and

sending an installation request to install the program to the device corresponding to the device identifier that is associated by the configuration information with the program identifier,

wherein the one or more devices, the terminal, and the computer are distinct from each other; and

wherein the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and the program identifier are distinct from each other.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the installation request is sent to the device in response to a query from the device, to request the device to install the program corresponding to the program identifier associated with the device identifier.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

when receiving a request to use a license for the service from the device receiving the installation request, determining whether to allow use of the license based on license information indicating a status of the license for the service; and

when it is determined to not allow the use of the license, causing the device to cancel installation of the program.

4. A system where one or more devices, a terminal, and at least one information processing apparatus are connected via a network to each other, the system comprising:

a processor programmed to implement

a management unit that

allows the terminal to select a service to be used,

identifies a program necessary to use the selected service,

queries the terminal whether to allow installation of the identified program in a device that uses the selected service and is to be selected from the devices, and

requests the terminal to select the device that uses the selected service from the devices;

a configuration unit that, when receiving a service identifier of the selected service and a device identifier of the selected device from the management unit, stores configuration information in a relationship information storage, wherein the configuration information associates the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and a program identifier of the program with each other, and the program identifier is stored in a service information storage in association with the service identifier; and

a transmitting unit that sends an installation request to install the program to the device corresponding to the device identifier that is associated by the configuration information with the program identifier,

wherein the one or more devices, the terminal, and the information processing apparatus are distinct from each other; and

wherein the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and the program identifier are distinct from each other.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transmitting unit sends the installation request to the device in response to a query from the device and thereby requests the device to install the program corresponding to the program identifier associated with the device identifier.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a license information storage that stores license information indicating a status of a license for the service,

wherein the processor is programmed to further implement a determining unit that, when receiving a request to use the license from the device receiving the installation request, determines whether to allow use of the license based on the license information; and

wherein when the determining unit determines to not allow the use of the license, the transmitting unit causes the device to cancel installation of the program.

7. A device connected via a network to a terminal and an information processing apparatus that includes a processor programmed to implement

a management unit that

allows the terminal to select a service to be used,

identifies a program necessary to use the selected service,

queries the terminal whether to allow installation of the identified program in a device that uses the selected service and is to be selected from one or more devices, and

requests the terminal to select the device that uses the selected service from the devices,

a configuration unit that, when receiving a service identifier of the selected service and a device identifier of the selected device from the management unit, stores configuration information in a relationship information storage, wherein the configuration information associates the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and a program identifier of the program with each other, the program identifier being stored in a service information storage in association with the service identifier, and

a transmitting unit that sends an installation request to install the program to the device corresponding to the device identifier that is associated by the configuration information with the program identifier,

the device comprising:

a processor programmed to implement

a communication unit that receives the installation request from the information processing apparatus; and

an installation unit that installs the program in response to the installation request,

wherein the one or more devices, the terminal, and the information processing apparatus are distinct from each other; and

wherein the received service identifier, the received device identifier, and the program identifier are distinct from each other.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the communication unit sends a query to the information processing apparatus;

and

the transmitting unit of the information processing apparatus sends the installation request to the device in response to the query and thereby requests the device to install the program corresponding to the program identifier associated with the device identifier.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein

when receiving the installation request, the communication unit sends a request to use a license for the service to the information processing apparatus;

the information processing apparatus further includes a license information storage that stores license information indicating a status of the license for the service;

the processor of the information processing apparatus is programmed to further implement a determining unit that, when receiving the request to use the license, determines whether to allow use of the license based on the license information; and

when the determining unit determines to not allow the use of the license, the transmitting unit causes the device to cancel installation of the program.